CLASSICAL DANCES OF INDIA BHARATNATYAM Also known as Sadir, Chinnamelan and most commonly Dasi Attam, Bharat Natyam originated in the temples of Tamil Nadu and was performed by Devdasis. This dance stlye is known for its grace, elegance, purity, tenderness, expressions and sculpturesque poses. KUCHIPUDI Ancient legends name Siddhendra Yogi as the founder of the Kuchipudi dance-drama tradition in seventh century South India. The performance usually begins with stage rites. The dharavu introduces the identity of the character and sets the mood. The drama then begins. The dance is accompanied by Carnatic music. KATHAK Kathak traces its origin to the nomadic bards of ancient northern India, known as Kathakars or storytellers. Kathak shows influence of temple and ritual dances, the bhakti movement, certain features of Persian and Central Asian dances which were imported by the royal courts of the Mughal era. KATHAKALI Elaborate make-up and costumes, well-defined hand gestures or mudras, facial expressions or rasas and rhythmic dancing instead of dialogue are the characteristic features of Indian classical dance-drama Kathakali. Songs in Manipravalam language based on Carnatic music or Sopanam style give life to the Kathakali dance stlyle which originated in Kerala during the 17th century. MANIPURI Ancient Manipuri ritual-based dance forms interpreted as new compositions based on the divine Krishna-Radha love story led to the evolution of the graceful Manipuri Dance. Delicate, lyrical movements of the hands and body, calm facial expressions and soft yet rhythmic footsteps give the Manipuri dance its undulating and soft appearance. MOHINIATTAM Mohiniattam literally meaning "dance of the enchantress" is believed to have originated in 16th century in Kerala, India. Mohiniattam is a drama in dance and verse believed to have been named after the Mohini incarmation of Lord Vishnu. It is meant to be performed as solo recitals by women. ODISSI Odissi is perhaps the oldest surviving dance form of India originating from Odisha in Eastern India. Bhangas, independent movement of the head, chest and pelvis and the basic square stance known as Chauka or Chouka are the distinguishing features of this dance. SATTRIYA Created by 15th century Assamese polymath Srimanta Sankardev, Sattriya was traditionally performed by bhokots or male monks for ritualistic purposes within sattras or monasteries of Ekasarana dharma. Sattriya is usually based on mythological stories as a medium to spread religious teachings to the common people in an accessible and enjoyable manner. CHHAU Chhau dance or paika nrutya is a genre of Indian tribal martial dance aiming at development of physical energizing and consequently courage, in the dancing warriors. Popular in the Indian states of Odisha, Jharkhand and West Bengal, Chhau is a blend of both dance and martial practices employing mock combat techniques (called khel), stylized gaits of birds and animals (called chalis and topkas) and movements based on the chores of village housewives (called uflis). THANG-TA Thang Ta, traditionally known as Huyel Langlon is a cultural heritage art of Manipur. This Art of War got its name from the main weapons used "Thang" or sword and "Ta" or spear. The dance movements of swords are intended to ward off evil spirits while other dance moves indicate protection. Odissi is believed to be one of the oldest surviving classical dance forms in the country, originating its roots dating back to the temples of Odisha in the 2nd century BCE. www.ipassio.com The foundations of Odissi are found in Natya Shastra, the ancient Hindu Sanskrit text of performance arts. The basic dance units described in the Natya Shastra, all 108 of them, are identical to those in Odissi...dated to between 200 BCE and 200 CE, but estimates vary between 500 BCE and 500 CE. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Odissi This footage is part of the professionally-shot broadcast stock footage archive of Wilderness Films India Ltd., the largest collection of HD imagery from South Asia. The collection comprises of 100, 000+ hours of high quality broadcast imagery, mostly shot on HDCAM / SR 1080i High Definition, Alexa, SR, XDCAM and 4K. Write to us for licensing this footage on a broadcast format, for use in your production! We are happy to be commissioned to film for you or else provide you with broadcast crewing and production solutions across South Asia. We pride ourselves in bringing the best of India and South Asia to the world... Please subscribe to our channel wildfilmsindia on Youtube for a steady stream of videos from across India. Also, visit and enjoy your journey across India at www.clipahoy.com , India's first video-based social networking experience! Reach us at rupindang [at] gmail [dot] com and admin@wildfilmsindia.com To SUBSCRIBE click the below link: www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=WildFilmsIndia Website: www.wildfilmsindia.com